IntroductionUnderstanding how to care for your individual hair texture (for more information check out Hair Profiling)can help you keep your tresses in the best condition possible. You wouldn't want to use a dry hair conditioner on oily hair, or an oily hair shampoo on damaged tresses, would you? Listed below are the four basic hair textures with simple hair care tips. Normal Hair TextureAlthough some hair experts claim that medium texture is the easiest hair texture to care for, this is not always the case. Problems arise when medium textured hair is damaged from overuse of hot tools (blow dryers, curling irons), utilization of the wrong types of hair care products, build-up of styling formulas or chemical abuse (highlighting, color, perms or straighteners). When possible, medium textured hair that is not damaged should only be washed 2-3x a week with full strength or diluted shampoo. On days in between shampoo treatments, the hair can be washed with clear water or with a light rinse out conditioner. Treat your hair with tender loving care and allow it to air dry when possible. If chemicals are utilized such as hair highlights or color, treat any residual dryness with deep conditioners applied once or twice a month as needed. Oily Or Greasy Hair TextureEven though your hair may feel and look oily and greasy, it's possible that only sections of your hair are plagued by oil or grease. While you may feel the need to wash your hair every day, if you find that the middle and ends of your hair are becoming very dry as a result, consider applying shampoo to only the oily and greasy sections of your hair and applying a rinse out conditioner to the middle and end sections. One mistake that is often made with oily hair is to abuse it with too much or too harsh of shampoo formulas. Believe it or not but oily hair can become damaged by hot hair care tools such as blow dryers, hot rollers and irons if used too frequently and without heat protection products. If you require the use of a daily shampoo, use either a gentle formula or consider diluting it with 1 teaspoon or shampoo to 1 quart of warm water. Shake to create a sudsy formula and then drizzle over the top of your scalp and allow the suds to gently flow down your strands. Blow dry on the lowest temperature setting at a medium speed. Allow part of your hair to air dry. Always prep damp hair with a light heat protecting mousse or a leave-in conditioner/detangler to protect your cuticles. Dry/Damaged Hair TextureHair can be dry and/or damaged from a genetic or hair care viewpoint. Some people are born with coarse strands that are naturally dry. Naturally dry hair can actually become more dry when damaged with chemicals or excessive washing or hot tool styling. Some hair that is more wiry may actually be delicate but dry at the same time. Dry hair should never be washed every day and never with water that is hotter than lukewarm. Experiment with diluted shampoo formulas created from a very moisturizing shampoo base. It would be wise to also try conditioner only washing and washing only with water when possible. Shampoo can be drying to all types of hair but especially so to dry or damaged tresses and definitely when it is not diluted first. Formulate a deep conditioning program and use the deep conditioner on a regular, as-needed basis. Consider pre-treating dry hair with oils like HairTopia Beautiful Hair Oil or similar jojoba based formulations. Avoid blow drying when possible to avoid creating any further dryness or damage. Let air dry whenever possible. If you must blow dry, use a cool air setting towards the end. Curly Hair TextureCurly hair comes in all degrees of formation ranging from very loose ringlets to very tight. The amount of frizz that you experience often depends on the looseness or tightness of your curls along with some other factors such as the products you use, how often you wash your hair and whether your hair has been previously damaged by chemical treatments or overuse of hot tools. To minimize frizz, try washing your hair either with a diluted version of a moisturizing shampoo or wash directly with a light rinse out conditioner. Some curly heads have achieved great results by washing with water only and applying a rinse out conditioner without shampoo. Others feel the need to shampoo at least once a week but find a diluted formulation less drying. Experiment with a variety of options until you find the best cleansing formula for your curl type and texture. If you must blow dry your hair, consider using one with a long finger diffuser and set on a cool, slow setting. When possible, allow your curls to air dry. Or allow some level of air drying matching to a finishing blow dry. SummaryEach hair type and texture requires special care to achieve healthy and balanced tresses. Experiment with different products and care regiments until you find the system that works best for you. | |||
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